Wal-Mart workers in Canada vote to join UFCW

Workers at a Wal-Mart Tire & Lube Express (TLE) shop in Surrey, British Columbia have voted to join UFCW. After half a year of delays caused by Wal-Mart's legal challenges, the workers finally got to vote for union recognition on 6 March. With a decisive majority of 7 to 2, they decided to be represented by UNI Commerce affiliate UFCW.

"Despite the delays forced upon these Wal-Mart workers, they are now members of our union, and we couldn't be happier about that," said Brooke Sundin, President of UFCW Canada Local 1518. “We're very much looking forward to representing our newest union members. We will be approaching the company shortly to begin negotiations for a contract."

Surrey is the second BC Wal-Mart TLE to be certified. Workers at a TLE in Cranbrook, BC were certified on September 7, 2005 and negotiations for a first contract have begun. Arbitration for a first contract at a Wal-Mart store in Saint-Hyacinthe, Quebec is also underway. Four other Wal-Mart locations in Quebec have been certified. An additional Quebec application is pending, as is an application for a Wal-Mart in Weyburn, Saskatchewan.

According to UFCW Canada’s national director Michael J. Fraser, “we are making steady progress in spite of Wal-Mart’s bullying and employee intimidation.”

“We congratulate our newest members in Surrey,” said Fraser, “for standing up and succeeding against Wal-Mart’s tactics to harass, delay and deny their constitutional right to join a union. This is their victory and we commend them.”